Calendar pad stand



p 12, 1967 L. G. M INTOSH CALENDAR PAD STAND Filed Feb. 24, 1966 LAWRI E G. MCI NTOSH %%MM7/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,340,635 CALENDAR PAD STAND Lawrie G. McIntosh, Islington, Ontario, Canada, as-

slgnor to The Brown Brothers, Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 529,717

Clalms priority, application Canada, Se t. 18, 1965,

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-120) This invention relates to the manufacture of calendar pad stands and is particularly concerned With a stand which is characterized by two-piece construction adapted to manufacture by plastic molding.

While the subject of the present invention is referred to in the following specification and appended claims as a calendar pad stand, it should be understood that the stand is equally adapted to holding any suitably sized pad of paper and might be used to advantage for such things as telephone pads and note pads. The stand is of the type which holds the upper end of the pad tightly, whereby the pad sheets may be torn olf the pad as they are used.

Prior calendar pad stands of the above type have normally employed a base element on which the pad is laid, a top piece, a pair of screws having knurled heads which are passed downwardly through holes in the cross piece and apertures in the received pad and threaded into female inserts carried on the underside of the base. This arrangement has the disadvantage that there are at least six pieces involved in the manufacture of the stand. Secondly, this arrangement is subject to loosening of the elements holding the top cross piece against the pad, which can cause the whole assembly to come apart or at at least does require periodic tightening of these members as to ensure that the cross piece bears sufliciently tight against the top end of the pad as to permit tearing off the pad sheets.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improved calendar pad stand.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a two-piece calendar pad stand which is adapted to manufacture by plastic molding.

It is a still more specific object of the invention to provide a calendar pad stand of the type defined above which is not subject to periodic loosening of the member bearing against the upper end of the pad whereby to render this item more efficient in its function of providing a tearing edge against which the individual sheets of the pad may be torn off.

The above and further objects of the invention will be more thoroughly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate this preferred embodiment:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a calendar pad stand in accord with the invention with the two pieces making up the pad being spaced from one another as to better show their individual construction;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing a second position of the two components shown in FIG- URE 3.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the calendar pad stand of the illustrated embodiment of the invention essentially consists of a base member and a top piece 12. The pad 14 is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1 as to illustrate the normal orientation of a pad relative to the two components of the stand.

As previously mentioned, the stand of this invention has a construction which particularly adapts the stand to manufacture by plastic molding. Many suitable plastics are now available but the particularly preferred plastic for the manufacture of this stand is polypropylene. One reason for preferring this particular plastic is that the top piece 12 is periodically flexed each time a new pad is installed on the stand and polypropylene is known for its ability to withstand fiexure. Of course, the frequency of flexing of the top piece is not so high as to prevent the usage of other plastics such as modified polystyrene, acetyl, polyvinychloride or nylon.

Referring still to FIGURE 1, base member 10 includes a top wall 16 and a pair of spaced side walls 18 which are so shaped to orient top wall 16 at a small angle relative to a flat surface such as a desk top. This feature is common to stands known heretofore and is provided as a convenience to the user of the pad as the writing f notes on the pad is better facilitated if the pad is slightly raised at its top end.

Extending around the upper end of the top surface 16 is an integrally molded ridge 20 which has the main function of permitting simple installation of a new pad as the installer merely needs to press the upper end of the pad against the ridge and the pad is automatically properly positioned both longitudinally and laterally on the base element. However, ridge 20 also cooperates with a mating downwardly projecting curtain 22 on the top piece as to provide an attractive surrounding casing for the upper end of a received pad. Towards the upper end of the base member 10 are formed a pair of apertures 24 for receiving prongs 26 carried by top piece 12. By reference to FIGURE 3 or FIGURE 4 it can be seen that one edge of these apertures is formed at a slight angle as to provide a lip 24a which acts as a ratchet engageable by the teeth 26a, b and c of the prong 26.

Top piece 12 includes a top wall 28 and the previously mentioned surrounding curtain 22 and prongs 26. The top wall is roof-shaped but truncated at each of its ends as to define four areas separated by a double Y-shaped groove 30. This groove is provided to pennit flexure of top wall 28 in ,a particular manner as described in detail hereinafter. It is also to be noted that another groove extends fully around the outer edge of the top Wall 28 at its juncture with curtain 22.

Prongs 26 are integrally molded to the underside of top wall 28 at a position approximately directed beneath the VS formed by the Y portions of groove 30. To be more precise, the prongs are fixed to the underside of the top wall directly beneath the inward tips of the triangular shaped end portions of the top wall. As previously noted the prongs are each provided with a plurality of notches 26a, b and c- While three notches are shown, it is within the scope of this invention to provide from one to any number of notches with the selection of three notches being a preferred expedient. While one notch could be used, the use of a number of notches adapts the stand to properly receive pads of somewhat different thicknesses. The lower ends of prongs 26 are tapered on the same side as the notches with the taper providing guidance in inserting the prongs in apertures 24.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that when installing a new pad on the stand of the invention, a preferred manner of doing so is to turn the top piece upside down so that the prongs extend upwardly, en-- gaging the pad on the prongs, and pressing the base onto the portions of the prongs which protrude through the pad until the notches in the ends of the prongs engage the lips 24a of apertures 24. In the normal course it is desired that the lower edge of curtain 22 be slightly spaced fromthe top edge of ridge 20 to ensure that the forward edge 34 of the top piece will bear tightly against the top of the pad. By proper spacing of the notches 26a, b and c relative to the length of the prongs, the bottommost notch 26a will engage the lips 24a when the top piece is first installed. Subsequently, pressure is applied to the top wall 28 of the top piece just above the prongs whereby t flex the top wall a sufiicient degree to force the prongs downwardly somewhat as to engage the middlemost notch. It can be appreciated, therefore, that it is the flexure in the top wall 28 of the top piece which locks the top piece in place. Further, of course, the particular construction illustrated for gaining the desired flexure in the top piec forms an important part of this invention. Specifically, this construction consists of the particular manner illustrated for reducing the thickness of the top wall along the illustrated grooves and along the juncture of the top wall with the surrounding curtain 22 which permits the desired flexure of the top wall. FIG. 4 clearly illustrates the degree of flexure which is accomplished. It should also be understood that when the top wall is flexed, the prongs are splayed outwardly as Well as moved downwardly.

It is also to be noted that the prongs are so shaped that a portion of the prong material is removed from the outer surface of the prong on the opposite side from the notches so that a certain amount of bending of the prongs is permitted when the top wall is flexed. This bending of of the prongs and the flexing of the top wall cooperate to tightly retain the notches of the lip 24a.

As previously mentioned, the forward end 34 of the to piece 12 bears tightly against the top of the pad as to provide a tear edge. Also, as previously mentioned, locking of the top piece in place involves pressing downwardly against the top piece above the prongs 26. As the prongs are offset to one side of the longitudinal centre line o the top piece, the pressing down of the top above the prongs does tend to tilt the top piece as to lift the forward edge 34 slightly from the top of the pad. To prevent this tilting, the underside of the top piece is provided with a pair of integrally molded bosses 36 which are shaped and sized to engage the uppermost end of the pad whereby to counteract any tilting of the top piece tending to lift the forward edge 34 away from the top surface of the pad.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A calendar pad stand molded of plastic, comprising a base member adapted to receive a pad of paper having a pair of perforations at one end thereof, said base member having a pair of-apertures positioned as to be aligned with said perforations in the pad with the pad having been installed on the base member, each of said bas member apertures having one side thereof sharpened as to provide a ratchet-like tooth in the apertures; and a top piece including a pair of integrally molded prongs projecting downwardly for passage through said perforations in said pad and through said apertures in the base member, each of said prongs having at least one ratchet tooth on the side thereof which lies adjacent to the sharpened edge of its mating base member aperture, said top piece including a top wall which is generally roofshaped but truncated at its ends and having a longitudinally extending groove which is split at either end of the top piece as to define four sections in said to wall with the prongs being connected to the underside of said top wall adjacent the points of division of said groove whereby pressure applied to said points of division from above will flex said top wall downwardly at these points as to cause the prongs to move outwardly to more tightly engage their ratchet teeth with the ratchet-like teeth of said apertures.

2. A calendar pad stand as claimed in claim 1 in which said base member includes an upstanding ridge adapted to surround the upper end of a pad of paper eceived on the base member.

3. A calendar pad stand as claimed in claim 1 in which said top piece includes an integrally molded downwardly projecting curtain wall at the rear and side edges of the top piece.

4. A calendar pad stand as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said prongs has a portion of the body material thereof removed from the side opposite its notch whereby to provide additional flexibility in said prongs.

5. A calendar pad stand as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said prongs carries three ratchet teeth whereby to adapt the stand for accommodating paper pads of different thicknesses.

6. A calendar pad stand as claimed in claim 3, including a groove extending around said top piece at the junction of said top wall with said curtain wall whereby to provide additional flexibility in said top wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,320,656 11/1919 Stith 40-120 2,526,320 10/1950 Beckstrom 28l-l5 2,876,021 3/1959 Potts 28 ll5 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CALENDAR PAD STAND MOLDED OF PLASTIC, COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A PAD OF PAPER HAVING A PAIR OF PERFORATIONS AT ONE END THEREOF, SAID BASE MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF APERTURES POSITIONED AS TO BE ALIGNED WITH SAID PERFORATIONS IN THE PAD WITH THE PAD HAVING BEEN INSTALLED ON THE BASE MEMBER, EACH OF SAID BASE MEMBER APERTURES HAVING ONE SIDE THEREOF SHARPENED AS TO PROVIDE A RATCHET-LIKE TOOTH IN THE APERTURES; AND A TOP PIECE INCLUDING A PAIR OF INTEGRALLY MOLDED PRONGS PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY FOR PASSAGE THROUGH SAID PERFORATIONS IN SAID PAD AND THROUGH SAID APERTURES IN THE BASE MEMBER, EACH OF SAID PRONGS HAVING AT LEAST ONE RATCHET TOOTH ON THE SIDE THEREOF WHICH LIES ADJACENT TO THE SHARPENED EDGE OF ITS MATING BASE MEMBER APERTURE, SAID TOP PIECE INCLUDING A TOP WALL WHICH IS GENERALLY ROOFSHAPED BUT TRUNCATED AT ITS ENDS AND HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVE WHICH IS SPLIT AT EITHER END OF THE TOP PIECE AS TO DEFINE FOUR SECTIONS IN SAID TOP WALL WITH THE PRONGS BEING CONNECTED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID TOP WALL ADJACENT THE POINTS OF DIVISION OF SAID GROOVE WHEREBY PRESSURE APPLIED TO SAID POINTS OF DIVISION FROM ABOVE WILL FLEX SAID TOP WALL DOWNWARDLY AT THESE POINTS AS TO CAUSE THE PRONGS TO MOVE OUTWARDLY TO MORE TIGHTLY ENGAGE THEIR RATCHET TEETH WITH THE RATCHET-LIKE TEETH OF SAID APERTURES. 